Sask. man gets life for killing teen girl

A young Saskatchewan man has been handed a life sentence for the brutal killing of a teen girl in Prince Albert.

Cody Halkett, 21, pleaded guilty Monday to manslaughter in connection to the slaying of Krista Kenny, 16, in May 2009.

Provincial court Judge Grant Currie called the girl's death a savage and brutal killing.

Currie heard that Halkett and Kenny were both drinking heavily with a group of people at a Prince Albert park.

As the night wore on, Halkett took Kenny into an alley in an industrial area and beat her with a wooden stake and then stabbed her through the throat with it.

The girl likely spent the next 20-30 minutes conscious and terrified as she slowly died from her wounds, according to a coroner's report.

DNA match to suspect

It wasn't until two days later that her body was found by police in a derelict car. Near the vehicle, police investigators found a bloody coat that contained DNA samples matching those of Kenny and Halkett, court heard.

Police became involved after Kenny's mother called to report her missing.

Halkett originally was charged with second-degree murder, but was allowed to plead guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter in exchange for a life sentence.

He will be eligible for parole in seven years.

Crown attorney John Morrall told CBC News that given the life sentence, he's unconcerned Halkett pleaded guilty to a lesser offence.

"We felt that having regard to all the circumstances here that the guilty plea to manslaughter was appropriate when we were going to receive such a high sentence," Morrall said.